THE HONDA CLASSIC

March 6, 2002

Ty Tryon

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: We'd like to welcome Ty Tryon to the media center here at the Honda Classic.

Ty, welcome back. Obviously, you have great memories from 2001. Maybe just get us started a little bit with coming back after last year's eventful tournament.

TY TRYON: Well, first of all, what can I say. This is where I started last year, and just to be back here, I can't believe it's been a whole year. But I'm really excited to be back. This is kind of where I really played well last year and I really like this course for me. It's too bad they are moving it. But I'm really excited for this week and ready to play some good golf.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Questions?

Q. What happened L.A.? Did you try to qualify for the L.A. Open?

TY TRYON: Yeah, actually, I went out to Callaway out there to test some equipment at the Callaway Golf Center in Carlsbad. And since, I was out there I had not played any competitive golf since Phoenix and I just decided to play the Monday qualifier with all of the new clubs, just to try some stuff out. Good chance to get should rust off and play some competitive golf. I didn't make it, though.

Q. If you would have made it, would you have played?

TY TRYON: Yeah.

Q. Did you ask them for an exemption?

TY TRYON: No. It was because I only get seven exemptions; so I don't want to use it out there. But I thought since I was out there at Callaway, I just thought, why not do it. Because if you make it in a qualifier, it doesn't count as an exemption. So it could have been an extra tournament I could have played.

Q. Are you chomping at the bit to get out here full time?

TY TRYON: Especially now because I'm getting a little more used to it. Even though last week I didn't play that well, I felt so much better last week than I did in Phoenix. So it's just like every week, I kind of learn more and kind of got a little more accustomed what goes on.

And this week I feel real comfortable. I can only imagine being out here like five, six weeks in a row; I would feel pretty good. I have to wait till summer, I guess.

Q. Jesper is playing his 10th consecutive tournament. Would you do that this summer?

TY TRYON: Probably not ten, no. That's a lot of tournaments. I think Charlie Howell played 14 last year.

Q. Have you had a chance to meet Boo Weakley yet?

TY TRYON: Yeah, nice guy.

Q. Just wondering, he's been kind of the spotlight, too, since he went through Q-School, you're the same way. How is that -- has that helped you being in the spotlight so much, or is it kind of distracting you from what you're doing?

TY TRYON: You know, you have to -- I've learned a lot from it because you have to really cherish your personal time now, especially on the golf course, to do my work. That's kind of my office now. I kind of have to set aside my own time to work on my golf game and stuff, because I have so many other, like, people trying to get to me, interviews, that stuff.

But, the spotlight, it's been great. It's been cool. It's been a lot to get used to, but I'm feel more comfortable with it, I think.

Q. Looking back to what you said earlier about them moving the tournament next year, is that going to affect your decision to play here next year, in the tournament, or can you talk a little bit about them moving the course?

TY TRYON: Actually, I didn't even know that -- I didn't even know that for sure that they were moving it until yesterday. I was disappointed because I really like this course. It sets up well for me, at least.

I don't even know where they are moving it yet; so I don't even know. I'm just trying to focus on this week.

Q. Where is school? Where is school between now and, I guess, May and June? How focused are you on that? How much do you attend? How much do you spend studying?

TY TRYON: I attend when I'm home. I go to school every day when I'm home. But when I'm not home, like these three weeks in a row, I'm not home; so I'm not attending school. But I'm still doing make-up work and just trying to keep up.

I get like e-mails from my teachers and stuff, but they are pretty good to me. They make it easy for me but I do my work. It's hard because three weeks in a row is a lot to miss. Especially when you're playing with guys out here that don't do that.

Q. How much impact has the media attention had on you?

TY TRYON: It's had a lot of impact. It's put some pressure on me. But it's not just that. It's school, too. I have a lot of things people don't have to deal with, but also, I don't have a family and stuff that tour players have to deal with. So I guess it kind of balances out.

It's put a little pressure on me, but I feel like I've gotten better as a person and I've kind of matured; so I think it's going to be good.

Q. Before you qualified for the Tour, you must have been thinking about college. Where does that fit in your thoughts now?

TY TRYON: I can't really go to college and play golf. But I'm always open to going down the road, just to go to learn and become more knowledgeable, but not for golf.

It will be a little different line-up if I go to college on the road than it would if I was going for golf.

Q. What about, not so much about to play golf in college, but the whole college experience?

TY TRYON: Yeah, but you never know. I'm just trying to focus on this right now. I haven't dismissed the thought of going to college. There's so many things right now. I've just got to get through high school first.

Q. Do you think it's fair that the tour somewhat changed the rules, even though they said not for you, but they changed the rules that basically precluded you from coming out here until you're 18 years old when you qualified at Q-School?

TY TRYON: You mow, when I first saw the rule, I was disappointed, because, I mean, I qualified; so it's not tough to swallow. But the Tour makes the rules. I've just got to accept it. It's worked out. You know, that's the way it goes and I can handle it, I think.

Q. Would you feel the same way if they said after you pass the your driver's test, you can't drive for another six months?

TY TRYON: That would have been a little tougher, I think. (Laughter.) That's a real easy test, anyway.

Q. What is the biggest intimidating factor, if there is one?

TY TRYON: You know, just pretty much the crowd, probably. Phoenix Open, the crowds were just humongus. They are so big. It's intimidating when you get to the first tee and you have 100 people with cameras and thousands of people around you. That's pretty intimidating, but you have kind of gotten more used to it. And that is the biggest tournament with the most rambunctious crowds and media and stuff, but I feel like that helped me playing the tournament.

Q. How do you handle being in the middle of that kind of spotlight? I think it was two years ago you were here or up north in Palm Beach County when you won the PGA National and the only people around there were parents and volunteers and the other players. Now you go out on TOUR and you are out in the middle of things and thousands of people are staring at you all the time. When you're inside the ropes, do you try to stay inside your own thoughts and not make eye contact with anybody outside?

TY TRYON: That is kind of tough, actually. You notice that because you are trying to hit some balls and practice and you've got hundreds -- you have I few that you people staring at you everything you do. It's odd. Feels uncomfortable, but you have to just ignore it and stay yourself and just try to block it out, I guess. If you think about it too much, it will start to bother you, think I, for sure.

Q. Obviously, you've had success here. Is it hard not to get your expectations too high this week, to think that you should go out and be on the leaderboard again and contend?

TY TRYON: It's not hard because I haven't played well the last two tournaments I've played in. So it sets me -- I just want to go out and just play solid. I'm not putting too many expectations on myself. But I'm hitting really well right now and I feel like I've improved a lot since Phoenix and Doral, and I learned a lot at those tournaments. I just want to put together two good round the first two days. That's all I want to do.

Q. The fact that you've had more success with endorsements than making cuts, does that putt extra pressure on you?

TY TRYON: Not really. My endorsements were set for making the PGA TOUR. Not many people thought I would make it to this year, and I'm just glad I made it here. I'm out here. I could be just playing mini-Tours and scrounging for sponsors exemptions, but I have my card. So I feel like I have success, even if I missed two cuts.

Q. Is it a disadvantage being limited in how much you can play, almost seven months -- (inaudible)?

TY TRYON: It's a bigger disadvantage than I thought it would be. But I looked at the schedule, I can still play about 25 events. If I play a lot of events during the end of the year. Starting with the summer, I can play almost every week.

So it's all how you look at it, and hopefully I'm playing well and getting a good stretch. All you need is a few good weeks. You can't get down on yourself. You miss two cuts in a row, just keep on playing. You can play good. All it takes is a few good days.

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